1. Technical Field
This application relates to a method for estimating a vehicle's range or distance it will travel before it runs out of fuel and more specifically to using a combination of measured data and calculations to extend the applicability of such analysis to range predictions for a plurality of driving environments not considered in the measurements.
2. Background
The range of a vehicle is usually specified by the manufacturer assuming a set of conditions such as flat terrain, driving environment (city, highway) and a specified weight. The actual range obtained by a driver will depend on speed, terrain, cargo, climate control, driving style and other factors. This range variation applies to both electric and internal combustion vehicles. However, drivers of gasoline vehicles have an extensive network of gas stations available to them while drivers of electric vehicles fear that they might be stranded if they run out of charge with no charging station nearby. This uncertainty in the range leads to what is called “range anxiety.” To alleviate this anxiety, automakers provide built-in navigation systems that provide maps with the locations and directions to the closest charging stations, as well as a circle map overlay that indicates graphically the range of the car, i.e., the range is turned into the radius of a circle. All electric vehicles provide some sort of graphical bar display that indicates the amount of charge remaining in the battery and/or the range, a single number.
There are two main approaches for the determination of the range of a vehicle: (a) measurements, and (b) detailed mathematical modeling. The range of a vehicle is typically measured in a laboratory with the help of a dynamometer that simulates the driving environment. The measurement includes rolling resistance under flat terrain conditions for several simulated driving schedules designed to simulate, e.g., city and highway driving. Three additional tests are available to account for higher speeds, air conditioning use, and colder temperatures. FIG. 1 provides details for all five United States' Environment Protection Agency (EPA) test schedules, which apply to vehicles with internal combustion engines. The EPA is currently working to establish somewhat different testing criteria for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.
This kind of measurement usually includes the effect of vehicle weight and aerodynamic drag by adjusting the energy required to move the dynamometer rollers. Range is reported as a distance, e.g., 100 mi, for each driving environment, ambient temperature, and which accessories are turned on for a tank full of fuel or a fully charged battery.
Some current navigation systems display the measured range as a circular contour, implying that locations inside the contour can be reached by the vehicle. The idea there is that as the fuel level or battery charge decreases, the circle radius will decrease accordingly. A sample display is shown in FIG. 2. Even though this display is supposed to take into account the remaining battery charge, current location, and driving conditions, it is overly optimistic. The reason is that this range estimate reflects EPA-type or vehicle manufacturer's measurements, which likely do not include terrain variations, the effects of driving on actual roads, changes in the driving surface, or the actual driving speeds.